A law ensuring the use of the Irish language version of placenames in Gaeltacht districts will be enacted today. The measures will take effect from March of next year.
The Placenames Order will be signed today by the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Éamon Ó Cuív and it relates to 2,319 placenames in Gaeltacht areas.
The order will give legal standing to placenames in common use throughout the Gaeltacht and once it takes effect the English language version of these placenames will no longer have any legal status.
From March next year the English version of these names cannot appear in Acts of the Oireachtas, on road and street signs or ordnance survey maps.
The Minister's plan is to extend the use of Irish language placenames to the rest of the country within seven to ten years.
However, outside of Gaeltacht areas, the intent is to ultimately make it a legal requirement for the Irish language version of placenames to appear alongside the English version on all official documents, maps and signs.
J B Moffatt
Secretary General
Celtic League
21/12/04
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